A spark gap including a capacitive energy store is provided. The spark gap is fed via a multiplicity of capacitors arranged in a form of a ring, wherein the capacitors are electrically connected to the anode and the cathode via ring-shaped and conical or funnel-shaped conductors. As a result, sudden changes in impedance can be avoided. At the same time, it is possible to realize as large a cross-sectional area of the conductor as possible within a very small space. Therefore, the spark gap has a switching response with a high rate of rise of the voltage pulse as soon as the spark gaps flash over. This results in an easily predictable switching response of the spark gap. The spark gap can be used, for example, to generate pulses of monochromatic X-ray radiation.